Kia ora and hartelijke groet to our Dutch community across New Zealand.

Wherever you live, whether in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or further afield, I’m always struck by how active and welcoming our community is. Over the past months, I’ve seen club evenings, well-attended lunches and coffee mornings, and lively discussions in Dutch community groups online. None of this happens by accident, so let me start with a sincere thank you to the many volunteers who organise events such as Sinterklaas, King’s Day, and Dutch Week, those who support our elderly, and those who initiate borrels, markets, and all the other gatherings that bring people together.

There is also important news from home. The Netherlands is heading towards a new government following last year’s elections. Even from the other side of the world many of you follow these developments closely because your family, your work, or your heart is still partly in the Netherlands.

Here in New Zealand there is plenty to look forward to. Planning is already underway for Dutch Week 2026, and if previous years are anything to go by, we can expect a great mix of events: orange-themed celebrations, cycling activities, markets, cultural get-togethers, and, of course, good food and good conversation. Events like Big Dutch Day Out, King’s Day celebrations, and local club festivals continue to show how strong and visible the Dutch community is across the country.

I would also like to congratulate the Netherlands Society in Christchurch as they celebrate their 60th anniversary this year. The best way to stay up to date is to follow your local Dutch club and the Dutch-in-NZ Facebook pages, where most events are announced first and where you can easily get in touch with fellow community members. Check out the embassy website for news and activities at https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/web/new-zealand.

I very much hope to meet many of you at one of these events in the coming months. Whether you arrived in New Zealand recently or have been here for decades, you are an important part of this community. I always enjoy hearing your stories and seeing how Dutch and New Zealand life come together in so many different ways.

Your Ambassador,
Ard MM van der Vorst

Dutch Week 2026 will kick off with the Big Dutch Day Out in Foxton on Saturday 18 April and run through to Sunday 3 May.

You will be able to celebrate all things Dutch, including Orange Bike Rides in a locationj near you, vrijmarkten at your nearest Dutch club, amazing King’s Day parties, a business networking event, and more. Full details will be released in the next edition of our newsletter.

A reminder that the embassy moved to a beautiful new building on 1 December. If you are visiting us soon, the new location is Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 5th Floor 40 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011.

Embassy Closing Days.

The embassy will be closed on the following days:

For all your Dutch government related questions, call our 24/7 Netherlands WorldWide contact center on +64 4 471 6390 or +31 247 247 247. Alternatively you can visit netherlandsworldwide.nl.